DXN - Welcome to City N Again - Part 2

[10:15] <Cherem> As the rest of the team is making contact with the UGN Agent impersonating Chou Minami, you, Overwatch, are already working on the next step. Chou Minami's house was burned down: another great, spontanious fire. Finding her address is simple enough. But the real icing is that there seems to have been a traffic camera recording the road on that night.
[10:16] <Cherem> However, it's searching for it that you come to a dead end: the investigation seems to have been suspended, and the files encrypted for protection.
[10:22] <Cherem> However, it yields to your (digital) touch like it's nothing. Even if somebody comes to check on it later, they'd be hard pressed to find your traces.
[10:23] <Kisami_Mako> Sipping a cup of coffee, working on the matter, Mako can only rub her temples with contempt as her cracking attempts are failure after failure.
[10:24] <Cherem> Inside there's a small video file: nothing gigantic, but good enough to catch people's license plate numbers. Cross-referencing the time of the video and a report on the video, you can find the event pretty easily.
[10:26] <Cherem> It's sort of grainy, since the camera isn't designed to actually peer into the darkness, but there's one... no, two figures there. They don't seem to be that tall: students, unfortunetely. One of them seems to be rather animated, but the other, cool and calm.
[10:28] <Cherem> You see the animated one step away, and the cold one steps forward. There's a flare of light, and for a moment the whole scene is illuminated in light, before the figure jumps forward, arm ablaze. Their fist connects with the front of the house, and the screen goes while from the resulting flash.
[10:29] <Cherem> When the light dies down, the two figures are gone, as well as half of the unfortunate house's front. There's lights flicking on elsewhere, but nothing of note, save a few people trying to get into the blazing inferno, happens.
[10:31] <Cherem> In the blaze of the fire, one figure stands out to you. They don't do anything, but as you roll back the camera, it seems like they were always there, watching, the pixels around them distorting and painting their area as a washed out black spot in the shadow.
[10:31] <Cherem> In the briefest, brightest flash, you catch the silouette of a man in a greatcoat, watching the explosion unflinchingly
[10:36] <Kisami_Mako> "Uh, that's odd, can you replay that?" She asks as she observes the coated figure over and over. "Who's that? Who are they?"
[10:38] <Cherem> Going back over the video footage doesn't provide you with much. Adjusting the stills you take don't add much: the man has fair hair, not that it narrows it down too much.
[10:40] <Kisami_Mako> "Well, great. Two students and a man with a coat. Glad we have that pinned down." There's a sarcastic huff as she sets her cup aside.
[10:41] <Otomo_Reiko> Fingers flying across her keyboard, soon everyone else is getting a text from the hikki along with a prompt to download the video. [ Something interesting. ]
[10:43] <Kisami_Mako> She changes from her Tinder app to instead download the video. "Eh? What's that?"
[10:45] <Mr_Rage> "--mm?"
[10:48] <Cherem> Ai, you're midway to the Medical room when you sense it. It's faint, not enough to really trigger anything at this distance, but there's a quick pulse, a spare beat: somebody in the school just tried to ward.
[10:50] <Mr_Rage> "Rrh!" Ai heads towards it, if she has any sense of bearing.
[10:54] <Cherem> It's not that hard to find it: as you draw closer, the smell, the feeling grows stronger: The nurse's office. Outside, there's the Principal and several teachers, but there isn't sounds of fighting or anything: in fact, it sounds like people just talking.
[10:55] <Cherem> You can even place one of the voices: Honda, the weird guy with his strange companions.
[10:59] <Mr_Rage> Huhn-- Ai slows down to eavesdrop, ears swiveling out from under her hat.
[11:01] <Cherem> It's easy enough to catch what they're talking about: probably a good idea the warding went off, even. Namely, your "comrades" are talking with a doppelganger of Chou Minami, an Overed themselves. And about the fire that put Minami in this state.
[11:01] <Cherem> You knew the girl: if there was anything that marked Minami out, she was... boring. Not boring, but kind, middle-of-the-pack grades, spent her spare time studying. She might've been in a club, but, nothing that you were interested in.
[11:10] <Mr_Rage> Hrm... Even Ai could put together a theory based on all of this, though! She joins the group as politely as she can, glancing to the other Overed.
[11:12] <Cherem> The door opens with a rattle, earning you some looks. Honda in particular turns, "Oh, you're here. Good."
[11:12] <Cherem> In response, the UGN agent, Blessed Wind, gives you a little frown. Funny, she's got Minami's look down to a "T".
[11:13] <Shinjou_Miyu> Miyu looks as well.
[11:14] <Mr_Rage> Ai blushes a bit, tipping her head.
[11:15] * Cerys_Doyle doesn't look away from the doppelgange for more than a second or two, still in between her and the others.
[11:18] <Cherem> "So you say you're here to prevent this... You can't be all bad." Blessed Wind frowns, "So what was your purpose coming here today? To find me?"
[11:20] <Shinjou_Miyu> "Yes. We were hoping to find answers. Hopefully answers that would lead us to the one that ruined that bus."
[11:24] <Cherem> "Hrmm..." Blessed Wind sits on the bed, the weapon and symbols around her arm finally disappearing. "I haven't had the chance to see Minami's house yet. I was planning on searching for evidence there, but I got stuck on guard duty here. Maybe if they left something behind."
[11:29] <Cherem> There's a moment, and then she stands up, "Look. Take me with you. I'll go in disguise, you'll escort me to see the house."
[11:29] <Shinjou_Miyu> "That was also on our menu. But we felt this was a more immediate lead to follow. We can still look into it if you like."
[11:32] <Cherem> "I'd like to. If they think I'm out, they might take this time to strike." Blessed Wind nods affirmativly. "And you are clearly Overed. We'll be fine."
[11:34] * Cerys_Doyle relaxes slightly as the conversation leads towards them working together, but she stil ldoesn't move.
[11:35] <Shinjou_Miyu> "Alright. I'll contact the others and we'll get organized."
[11:35] <Goemon_Hozuki> "Sounds good"
[11:38] <Cherem> =========
[11:40] <Cherem> After explaining yourself to the Principal, who is mortified at his sudden falling asleep, you sign out Chou Minami to visit her home for the day with idol Shinjou Miyu.
[11:41] <Cherem> The drive isn't that far: in fact, it's kind of like driving home, not too far away. The house itself is dejected and abandoned: the paint is blistered black from heat, the lawn is non-existant, and the door, the first few rooms, are non-existant.
[11:42] <Cherem> Inside, it looks like the house was gutted by fire. It's a shame, really: it was a nice little place, if the houses beside it were any indication.
[11:42] <Cherem> "To think one person did this..." Blessed Wind shakes her head, waiting for one of you to bring her the wheelchair you've been forced to take along. Thankfully, it's a portable one.
[11:43] <Goemon_Hozuki> Brings chair
[11:43] <Shinjou_Miyu> Miyu completely leaves wheelchair lugging to the stronger folk.
[11:44] <Cherem> The other houses don't seem to have suffered much fire damage, but they do have some scorch marks.
[11:45] <Cherem> "Thank you." Blessed Wind climbs into it: she was insistant that she keep playing up the "crippled girl" act.
[11:45] <Mr_Rage> Ai frowns, sizing up the burned building, and letting her nose twitch.
[11:45] <Cherem> There's still the smell of ash and fire in the air, even a week after the event. How wonderful.
[11:46] * Cerys_Doyle scouts out the insides of the house ahead of everyone.
[11:46] <Otomo_Reiko> A couple of nearby cameras swivel around to focus on the burnt house and its visitors.
[11:47] <Cherem> Stepping inside, there looks like somebody's already been here. Police tape hangs from the doorways and windows, blowing gently in a cold breeze.
[11:47] <Kisami_Mako> Mako approaches the scene, apparently having made her way here through taxi or public transportation. She takes notice of the cameras, humming to herself.
[11:49] <Cherem> There's numerous footsteps in the ash already: boots, shoes, and... bare feet. Curious.
[11:49] <Shinjou_Miyu> "This is weird." Miyu remarks as she looks over the ash.
[11:50] <Mr_Rage> "Feet?" Ai stoops over, trying to measure the size of the bare footprints without disturbing them.
[11:50] <Kisami_Mako> Mako focusses on the cameras instead. "I wonder who's observing us, right now.
[11:50] <Kisami_Mako> "
[11:51] <Cherem> Wheeling herself up towards it, Blessed Wind pauses where the culprit watched the house burn. "Somebody entered after the police?"
[11:51] * Cerys_Doyle pulls out her phone answering it.
[11:52] <Goemon_Hozuki> "Why bare feet is the question."
[11:53] <Cherem> The footprints seem to be around your size, Ai. Another high school student. Or, a child.
[11:53] <Cerys_Doyle> She says something quietly into the phone and continues looking around for anything else out of place.
[11:54] <Cherem> "Bare feet?" Blessed Wind pushes herself closer, frowning. "Maybe... I don't know, that's very weird.
[11:54] <Cherem> " *
[11:54] <Mr_Rage> "Returning to the scene of the crime?" Ai offers quietly, blurting out what she remembers from CSI: Tokyo
[11:54] <Shinjou_Miyu> "Seems so. Of we
[11:55] <Shinjou_Miyu> If we're ruling out mundane things then maybe it's someone who expected to undergo a transformation that would wreck their shoes."
[11:56] <Kisami_Mako> "Yeah, but if we rule out the mundane, maybe an extra pair of feet were floating up here without anyone noticing." Mako remarks with a chuckle as she steps back to the group.
[11:56] <Cherem> "It could be that." Blessed Wind finally stands, stepping inside the house to take a closer look.
[11:57] <Cherem> "The transformation, I mean," She clarifies.
[11:58] <Mr_Rage> "Mn. Overed?"
[11:58] <Kisami_Mako> Mako follows closely behind, a little uncertain look. "Be careful, whatever's still standing might just collapse."
[11:59] <Goemon_Hozuki> "Salamandra maby?"
[12:01] <Cherem> Honda's mostly stuck with Blessed Wind, stepping into the house now, "Salamandra? For the fire?"
[12:02] <Goemon_Hozuki> "Maby"
[12:02] <Cherem> As you talk, those of you who can see your car can see two figures. They show up on Operator's real-time camera, still dressed in High School Uniforms.
[12:02] <Cerys_Doyle> "Wait, what? Where?" Cerys suddenly sounds much more serious on the phone.
[12:03] <Cherem> "I told you." The girl looks at the boy, her face obscured by a surgical mask. "I told you they'd be here."
[12:04] <Cherem> Her sleeves are rolled up, and you can see the flame-licked scars and mottled skin of her arms poking through bandages.
[12:04] <Shinjou_Miyu> "So we have a problem to take care of."
[12:04] * Cerys_Doyle motions to the others. "Company, outside."
[12:05] <Mr_Rage> "!"
[12:05] <Cherem> "I guess you were. But, we don't really have to-" The boy doesn't look pleased with this at all, but Ai, you recognize Michio, apologizing to Akane when she gives him a withering glare.
[12:06] <Cherem> "Alright, UGN dogs." Akane steps forward. "Step forward and be known." Her voice picks up, slightly muffled by her surgical mask.
[12:06] <Cerys_Doyle> "Putting you on speaker." She does so, putting the phone into the front pocket on her jacket.
[12:07] <Shinjou_Miyu> Miyu breathes deeply.
[12:08] <Cherem> "It will do you no good to hide." Another voice calls out from behind them, one you haven't heard before. But a man in a greatcoat stands behind the two, hands in his pockets, a hat pulled over his face, his hair long and tied in a ponytail behind him.
[12:09] * Cerys_Doyle moves over to Honda, head turning at the new voice.
[12:09] <Kisami_Mako> Mako has her hand reaching for her service weapon. "Uh. Seems like the culprits returned to the scene. Again?"
[12:09] <Cherem> "Who the hell..." Honda turns, reaching into his suit jacket for a weapon. You know for a fact he almost always carries a small pistol for situations like these.
[12:10] <Cherem> "Again?" The man frowns at Akane, who instead of answering takes a step forward.
[12:10] <Mr_Rage> Ai leans out the door, instinctively protective of any comrades behind her, tails lashing free of her skirt.
[12:11] <Cherem> "Why are you here, UGN? What do you want from this place." Akane's hands are at her sides, but the air around them is clearly distorting from heat.
[12:12] <Cherem> This entire time, Blessed Wind hasn't said a thing, but is instead watching carefully. A quick glance at her off hand reveals she's carrying... a crime prevention buzzer?
[12:13] <Kisami_Mako> "Now, let's not be hasty here. We're not the UGN. At least, I'm not." Mako steps out of the home, unarmed.
[12:14] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon stands waiting to see how things go before doing anything drastic
[12:14] <Cherem> The man is a little short, as Akane is easily gaining on him in height, and the word "stocky" comes to mind. When he looks up, his eyes are concealed by thick-rimmed glasses. "Then who are you to come here?"
[12:16] <Cherem> Honda looks at the others, "We're trying to find out who keeps causing these attacks."
[12:17] <Kisami_Mako> "Friendly neighborhood security is all. If you think City N is just UGN and False Hearts, well, fat chance." She raises her shoulders slightly at that.
[12:17] <Shinjou_Miyu> "Call us concerned citizens."
[12:18] <Cherem> Beside the two, Michio looks nervous, "See, they're not UGN. We don't need to worry about them."
[12:19] <Cherem> "Wrong." Akane retorts, "Concerned citizens looking into this are no good."
[12:20] <Mr_Rage> "Hff! Did you two do it or not?!"
[12:20] <Cherem> "Two?" Michio looks horrified by the thought, but can barely make that out before Akane fires back, "Of course."
[12:22] <Kisami_Mako> Mako lowers her hand ever so slowly, reaching for her holster. Uh, something was odd from Michio's side.
[12:24] <Cherem> "Even if he's too afraid to admit it." Akane steps forward, her hands flaming up, her skin rippling to grow fresh and clean, as if it were never burned to hell and back.
[12:25] <Cherem> "You heard her, Michio." The man looks down at the boy, who swallows. "You'll never reach your full potential like this."
[12:25] <Mr_Rage> Ai purses her lips, tails curling.
[12:25] <Kisami_Mako> "Full potential for what? Bombing busses, torching down homes? Great job! You've done it! What ambition!"
[12:26] * Cerys_Doyle reaches into her jeacket, pulling out a handgun.
[12:26] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon's hand bursts into flames
[12:27] <Shinjou_Miyu> "You should think very carefully about this." Miyu says softly. Almost dreamy sounding.
[12:27] <Cherem> The man's face breaks, his lips curling back. A chuckle starts building up as he laughs, "You have no Vision. This is just a stepping stone. And we all must take these steps." He claps Michio on the back, "Now, be a good boy and join Akane. Meet me at home when you are done." He turns, hands jamming into his pockets.
[12:28] <Cherem> "Keep them busy..." Blessed Wind murmurs, "I'll follow him."
[12:29] <Cherem> At his laugh, Akane takes a very open fighting stance. Her body seems to explode into heat and flames, her body losing the mottled, mixed look on her skin and replaced with flawless alabaster.
[12:29] <Kisami_Mako> Mako was upset - she never actually used or relied on her Overed powers before. Maybe she won't have to rely on them....
[12:29] <Kisami_Mako> Taking out her sidearm, she bites her lip. "This'll sting for a minute, Akane, but you're overed, you'll live."
[12:30] <Cherem> "Come, Michio. We will return, together." Akane's eyes light up with desire and passion as bright as the fire surrounding her.
[12:31] <Cherem> Beside her, Michio looks positivly terrified, but as she talks, his body doesn't even seem to be under his control. He tosses away his jacket and takes up a stance.
[12:34] <Kisami_Mako> Mako figures - they're still biological beings. A round to a major artery or something would probably stop them. Raising her sidearm, she simply fires it off at Akane, considering her to be the main threat for now.
[12:36] <Otomo_Reiko> A muffled, tinny voice comes from Cerys' pocket. "I suggest a strong open, hit them hard."
[12:42] <Cherem> Akane shifts as the shot is fired, the flames around her warping her image, but they don't warp enough, and the bullet smacks into one of her arms and spits out into the house behind her. A thick red fluid runs down her arm, and she lets out a little nervous-sounding laugh. "See? I told you, Michio. I told you."
[12:46] <Otomo_Reiko> "Okay Cerys-san, let me offer a little advice..."
[12:53] <Cerys_Doyle> "Gotcha." She takes aim and shoots, a bullet ripping into Akane's neck and blasting out the other side leaving a messy hole.
[12:55] <Cherem> Akane stops, eyes shooting wide open, letting out a little gurgle. Her mask runs red for a moment, running down her lips as her fire almost disappears... before it flares back up, the wound struggling to seal itself, her chest raising and falling with new, rapid breaths. With her breath, she manages one word, "Hurts..."
[12:59] <Cherem> Her feet twist, and suddenly she's flung herself across the street, the same jump that would see the house broken down the first time. Her body twists mid-air, leg rocketing down, engulfed in flames.
[13:07] <Cherem> Her eyes are distorted with hate as they collide with the same impact as getting shot with an anti-material rifle.
[13:10] <Cerys_Doyle> The impact takes her down to the ground, but she's still moving and getting up.
[13:16] * Mid_ (~androirc@5DF942E0:F5647115:DFCAF096:IP) Quit ( F5647115:DFCAF096:IP QUIT :Ping timeout: 240 seconds )
[13:17] <Mr_Rage> Ai focuses her attention on the boy still, bounding under Akane's charge to wrap Michio up in a pair of tentacles that used to be her arms, tackling him to the ground. White and black, the two things even bear a pair of gem-like eyes! "Just stay down, okay? You won't have to fight.~"
[13:19] <Cherem> "E-ah?!" The boy stumbles back, trying to jump back, but it's nowhere near enough to get away. "W-wait, wait, wait! This is too far, too far!"
[13:19] * Mid_ (~androirc@71BA7CC7:B73650C9:B88705FA:IP) has joined #DXtheGame
[13:22] <Shinjou_Miyu> Miyu exhales a small cloud and blows it toward Michio and Ai. "You don't want to fight us. You should listen to Ai, not that bandage hussy." Miyu says softly. The cloud says it, too.
[13:22] <Cherem> Michio keeps struggling, but you can feel his ability to fight slinking away and hiding under a rock.
[13:31] <Cherem> As you grapple him, you hear him suddenly shout, "No, no more!" His hands jump out, and it's only now that you realize his hands have turned into this great, ugly, claw-like things, sharp and vicious, cutting and tearing.
[13:32] <Mr_Rage> "Wah!"
[13:32] <Cherem> At the sound, Michio stops, still locked up, panting heavily, staring at his hands, "I... I did it again." A pathetic noise escapes him.
[13:33] <Mr_Rage> Ai rubs her hands against herself, arms scraped and cut where they'd taken damage in their snake forms. She pouts at the boy childishly.
[13:52] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon runs at Akane while the flames in his hand grows larger and punches right into her
[13:53] <Cherem> The fist connects, solidly, Akane turning to face her newest challenger and taking it right in the solar plexus. You can hear over the sound of her flames disappating the sharp crack of one of her ribs as she tumbles back and collapses.
[13:57] <Kisami_Mako> Mako notices she's not raising up from the dirt. "I think she's had enough for now, no need to salt the wound here. How about you? Ready to give up now?"
[13:57] <Cherem> Michio drops his hands, hanging his head, "I knew it would be like this... Do what you want with us."
[13:58] <Cherem> In the action, you'll notice that Blessed Wind is gone. You didn't even notice her disappearing, but it was probably around the time that the other person left.
[13:58] <Cherem> Meanwhile, Honda lowers his pistol, "Wow... You guys took care of that like nothing. Good work."
[13:58] <Mr_Rage> Ai does so immediately, reaching out to... pat Michio on the head.
[13:59] <Cherem> He flinches, badly, cringing almost, his hands' claws sinking back into normal appendages.
[14:00] <Kisami_Mako> Mako then takes a few cautious steps closer to the boy. "So, are you going to stop playing with strangers, then?"
[14:00] <Otomo_Reiko> "Dammit, camers are going dark. UGN and police and incoming." There's that little voice from Cerys' pocket again.
[14:00] * Midnightclub (~IceChat9@8DD3DAD2:108CD5EE:B88705FA:IP) has joined #DXtheGame
[14:01] * Cerys_Doyle rubs her jaw where she took the flaming foot to the face, then checks Honda to make sure he didn't get injured.
[14:01] <Cherem> "Strangers... I don't even know anymore." He pushes himself up, wiping off his hands, "I'm... I didn't mean to. I can't really control it."
[14:01] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon's hands stop burning and he walks back over to honda's side look for any more danger
[14:01] <Cherem> Honda is untouched. If anything, he's still standing, awed by what he saw. "Oh... Oh, shit. UGN is coming, we should get out of here."
[14:01] <Kisami_Mako> "Mmh. I guess we can leave Akane there for now. Michio, come with us?" She carefully sheathes her pistol back into its holster.
[14:02] <Mr_Rage> "It's okay.~ We can show you."
[14:02] <Shinjou_Miyu> "Sounds like a plan."
[14:02] <Cherem> He hesitates, looking at her, "I... I can't leave her. I won't." Michio's eyes fall down, watching the unmoving overed. "She's all I have."
[14:03] <Mr_Rage> A small huff, and Ai stoops to collect the fallen Akane, hefting her with ease.
[14:03] <Cherem> She is... surprisingly light, although just touching her fills you with feelings of unease. Her renegade is writhing through her like an angry worm.
[14:04] <Kisami_Mako> As soon as Akane is grabbed, she grabs Michio by the arm. "See, we've got Akane now. You can either come with us or explain yourself to the UGN."
[14:04] * Cerys_Doyle places her gun away in her jacket. "Let's get moving, I'll drive."
[14:04] <Cherem> "where then... We were hiding out, but, uncle would-" Michio freezes, pulling away a little, "No no, Uncle will kill us. We can't... We can't..." he goes a little limp: you could drag him around like a doll.
[14:05] <Cherem> Honda nods, "Grab him, we're going. We'll figure it out." He climbs into the car.
[14:05] <Shinjou_Miyu> Miyu gets in, too.
[14:06] <Kisami_Mako> Mako does just that, lifting him up and carrying his limp body onto her shoulders. Just like Boot camp.
[14:06] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon follows him into the vehicle
[14:06] <Mr_Rage> And awayyy~
[14:09] <Cherem> ===============
[14:11] <Cherem> As the fight runs down, Reiko, you turn your attention to following Blessed Wind and this so-called Uncle.
[14:11] <Cherem> You can follow Blessed Wind as she runs, her disguise seemingto slough off like water as she runs. Black hair, black as night, white skin like acanvas wet with white paint.
[14:11] <Cherem> Her target, this "Uncle", is always two steps ahead of her. When she rounds the corner, he's dropping off a bridge. As she drops, he's already grabbing onto a passing truck and rolling off. She's hard pressed to keep up with him, for sure.
[14:13] <Cherem> In the end, he loses her: he actually seems to split into multiple people, and one of them runs forward while the other ducks around the corner. Blessed Wind managed to see the first and rushes off after it, and the other slinks away.
[14:13] <Cherem> However, you find yourself hard-pressed: the amount of cameras you have to use is dropping slowly as he approaches a part of the city that's been abandoned for many years now.
[14:14] <Cherem> Once a train station, it was blown to hell and back, and now the houses are derelect, abandoned to vagrants and transients. Your last image of him is entering the district.
[14:15] <Otomo_Reiko> "Haaah."
[14:16] <Cherem> ==========
[14:18] <Cherem> And the rest of you find yourselves at the border of the city and the strange forest, Shirobayashi. On Honda's suggestion, the forest is where you've taken Akane and Michio to figure out what their deal is.
[14:19] <Cherem> Thankfully, there's at least one Camera to watch over the precedings, and Akane still hasn't woken up.
[14:20] <Cherem> Michio, to his credit, doesn't try to run when you arrive at a rest stop with no other people: seems like the woods aren't popular during the middle of the school week.
[14:21] <Shinjou_Miyu> "So... why are you involved with those people? You don't seem like them."
[14:23] <Cherem> "Mm... I guess I don't." Michio smiles weakly, "I don't really know where I come from. They took me in when things were too tough. I..." He looks ashamed for a moment, "I was homeless as a child, and they gave me a way out."
[14:24] <Cherem> Honda crosses his arms, listening in but not saying anything.
[14:25] <Kisami_Mako> Mako sighs as she hears so. Though she's not often in contact with the Overeds, somehow, she feels like many stories like his are similar. Most of them probably end much worse. "Michio, tell me, what do you know about all this? What did they tell you?"
[14:25] <Kisami_Mako> "Do you even know what is happening to you?"
[14:28] <Cherem> "I... sort of. They taught me a little. This is the renegade." He lifts his hand, and his fingers twist a little, turn a little, meld together like they're made of cray, forming a flesh-colored flower after a moment.
[14:29] <Cherem> Michio looks at his own hand and shudders, shaking it until it returns to normal, "And we use it to take what we need, what we want. To reach the goals we never could before. I just..." He looks down at his feet, "I don't think this is a good way of doing it."
[14:29] <Mr_Rage> "We use our Renegade to help people," Ai offers up quietly, molding her hand in the same way. A show of kinship between Chimerae.
[14:30] <Kisami_Mako> "There's the thing, Michio. We can use these powers to help, and do what we want. Have they told you what happens if you overuse them? If you stop having a reason to care? What if we'd have simply killed Akane?"
[14:31] <Kisami_Mako> Her tone is stern, like that of a scolding mother.
[14:32] <Cherem> "Of course," Michio mumbles defensivly, glancing at Ai's hand and watching, his attention solely on her fingers, "Too much of a good thing, Uncle said."
[14:33] <Cherem> Honda frowns as he listens, rubbing his chin. Doesn't seem too pleased about this Uncle person.
[14:33] * Mid_ (~androirc@71BA7CC7:B73650C9:B88705FA:IP) Quit ( B73650C9:B88705FA:IP QUIT :Ping timeout: 240 seconds )
[14:33] * Mid_ (~androirc@7A756AED.4FEBD130.9BA97AFC.IP) has joined #DXtheGame
[14:34] <Shinjou_Miyu> "It's a really sucky situation. Does Uncle keep many people like you around?"
[14:34] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon frowns "A good thing?"
[14:35] <Cherem> "Ah..." Michio shakes his head, "He said this was our test. He was going to take us to meet more like him. If we managed to... kill someone." Michio's voice goes hollow, his hands on his knees while his fingers tighten, "But I couldn't do it. We spent too much time here, for him."
[14:36] <Mr_Rage> Ai scowls, tails thumping against her seat! "Well... you don't have to kill for him, anymore. O-or ever, if you don't want to."
[14:36] <Kisami_Mako> She clutches her grip on his shoulder. "That is a good thing. Has Akane destroyed the bus, then? Why would she want to please that Uncle?"
[14:38] <Cherem> Michio nods a little, "She did. She got mad at that girl, and she tried. This isn't the first time, but... He's the only thing we have. Had. She wanted his praise." He looks in Akane's general direction, handcuffed and under Honda's watch. "She wanted to be noticed, I guess."
[14:39] <Kisami_Mako> She throws Honda a look, sighing. "Is this kind of story any familiar to you, Honda?"
[14:41] <Cherem> "... Yeah." Honda shudders, "A few years back, there was a terrorist who did that. Who did only that. A shit-headed scumbag." He looks at Michio, and you catch a glimpse of something fierce in Honda's eyes. "We need to find this Uncle and put a stop to him, before he can escape."
[14:41] <Shinjou_Miyu> "I can get behind that."
[14:42] <Mr_Rage> "Mn!"
[14:42] * Cerys_Doyle nods her approval while standing guard over Akane.
[14:43] <Goemon_Hozuki> "Alright then." Goemon nods his head in agreement, a red glint in his eyes
[14:43] <Cherem> Michio bites his cheek, "I... But what will happen to Akane and me?" He stands up shakily, but fast enough that Honda's got a hand on his holster. "We don't have anything."
[14:44] <Mr_Rage> Ai looks torn, clearly wanting to comfort Michio, but well... she doesn't know either.
[14:44] <Goemon_Hozuki> "You have each other."
[14:45] <Cherem> "We don't have a home... There's nobody who can look after us." Michio's fists are clenching, "We...I know it's not your fault." The tension drops from his shoulders, staring at the floor. "But... We need something."
[14:46] <Mr_Rage> "Papa! --I mean... Papa can take care of you. Maybe?" A look to Honda.
[14:47] <Cherem> Honda frowns, "I mean... If your father is alright with that. But she's a killer." He glances at Akane, "She showed no remorse. Can you trust that kind of person?"
[14:47] <Cherem> Michio mumbles something about her not being that bad, but you can tell he's struggling.
[14:48] <Mr_Rage> "Mm..." Ai's tail twitches, glancing in Akane's direction. "Papa knows a lot about Overed. Maybe he can fix her?"
[14:49] <Cherem> "Fix her..." Honda doesn't look terribly convinced, but finally nods, "Alright. We'll get her there, and then we'll move on this Uncle Person. Doyle," He turns to her, "Your friend that keeps racking up your minutes, did they managed to find this Uncle guy?"
[14:50] <Cerys_Doyle> She pulls her phone out, still on speaker since the burnt out house. "Got anything for us Operator?"
[14:51] <Otomo_Reiko> "Blessed Wind did an admirable job keeping up. He made his way into the abandoned district when I ran out of cameras to use. I do suggest caution, he was able to split himself into two."
[14:52] <Otomo_Reiko> "Perhaps Mii-kun has a more exact location for you? I'll try a few other options on my end."
[14:54] <Cherem> "Ah... So he's not going back there." Michio frowns, "We had a small safehouse, but Akane suspected he had another one in the city. We tailed him once..." He nods to himself, "I can show you the way."
[14:55] <Mr_Rage> Ai makes a small smile, face full of determination. c:<
[14:55] <Kisami_Mako> Mako nods firmly. "In exchange, we'll make sure Akane is safe. Right?"
[14:57] <Cherem> "We can do that." Honda nods, "We'll take her to your father, Ai. Call him and let him now, for now."
[14:57] <Mr_Rage> "Ah--right--" Ai fumbles with her phone, making the call.
[14:57] <Cherem> Michio smiles for the first time you've had him in your custody. "Alright."
[14:58] <Kisami_Mako> "So, what about the UGN? Are they hot on our tails?" She asks Doyle, who seemed to be quite informed about these things.
[15:00] <Cerys_Doyle> "Any word on the UGN?" She repeated the question into the phone.
[15:01] <Otomo_Reiko> "Haaah. Let me see."
[15:03] <Cherem> They're not chasing after you, but they are getting a report from Blessed Wind. Nothing solid: the Uncle she was chasing collapsed into ash at a single blow. They're investigating the fire again, but seeing the files they're accessing, looks like they were the ones to encrypt the videos and logs.
[15:05] <Kisami_Mako> She takes out her own phone. "Hey, can I get whoever's number you have? Sounds like it'd save us time." There's a little snicker at that, before she turns her attention back to the boy. "Alright, then. We,re ready if you are. The sooner, the better."
[15:05] <Cherem> Honda is already climbing into the car.
[15:05] <Otomo_Reiko> "At this rate, following Mii-kun's directions would be best. I have a package waiting for you at the Yuu household, please be sure to pick it up."
[15:05] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon follows after honda
[15:05] <Cherem> Michio nods, "Yeah... The sooner this is over, the better." As he gets in to the car, he looks back, "Do you think he can take care of her?"
[15:06] * Cerys_Doyle exchanges numbers with Mako, then gets int he car to take them to their next destination.
[15:08] <Shinjou_Miyu> Miyu hops in as well.
[15:08] <Kisami_Mako> She gets in the car with a little smile on her lips, adding 'Operator' to her list of contacts. She wasn't sure she liked this person, but there was a mysterious aura to it all.
[15:08] <Cherem> It's a quick swing by Ai's home: when she gets out, Akane is waking up, but she's not all there. And Ai's father is waiting, "Is everything alright? Is that one of your friends?"
[15:08] <Cherem> Michio climbs out and bows, "Hello, Mr.Yuu. Thank you for this, I am in your debt."
[15:09] <Mr_Rage> "Um--one friend, one... broken friend," Ai gestures, smiling sheepishly.
[15:10] <Cherem> "Broken?" Your Father offers his shoulder to support Akane, waving off Michio's formal bow. "Alright. And she's an Overed, I take it, if you're with him." He shoots Honda a look, who smiles sheepishly.
[15:10] <Mr_Rage> "Mn. Be careful."
[15:12] <Cherem> "Will do. We have some sedatives left over." He turns with her on his shoulder, "Oh, by the way, a lady left a box here for you? I didn't bother looking inside, but, be careful, it seemed heavy."
[15:13] <Mr_Rage> "Ah--okay!" The Chimera hefts the box, returning to the car with it!
[15:14] <Goemon_Hozuki> "Need some help?" Goemon nods towards the box
[15:15] <Mr_Rage> "No, it's okay." It takes Michi's spot in the vehicle, unless someone else grabs it from her to open.
[15:16] <Cherem> Michi turns back to hop it, confrontd by the box. "Ah... I can ride in the very back, if you want."
[15:17] <Kisami_Mako> Mako pats her lap, offering them to him. "What, even if we crash, you probably would live anyway."
[15:17] <Cherem> Michio looks embarassed, but after a moment climbs on, moving as far as he can in the front of the seat, apologizing the entire time.
[15:18] <Mr_Rage> "!"
[15:18] <Shinjou_Miyu> "..."
[15:19] <Otomo_Reiko> "Once you arrive please be sure to open the case. Take care with the contents."
[15:20] <Cherem> =============
[15:21] <Cherem> The drive, with Michio's guidance, isn't even that long. You come up on the abandoned rows of houses, and a crippling silence. It's like there's a dark air over the entire place, a thick, brooding aura that makes it just uncomfortable to be here.
[15:21] <Cherem> Broken windows, doors missing, nobody putting in the effort to flip the place. A shame, really.
[15:22] <Cherem> As you pull up, Michio shudders, "We're here." His shivering is in no way, shape, or form comfortable to you, Mako.
[15:25] <Cherem> Honda climbs out of the car, stretching and checking his gun to make sure it's still there. "I already hate this place."
[15:26] <Kisami_Mako> Following out is Mako, keeping the kid seated in the car. "I think you should wait in there until we're done. If things go bad, run, okay?"
[15:26] <Shinjou_Miyu> "Good advice. I'd listen to it."
[15:26] <Mr_Rage> Ai stretches, opening the briefcase as ordered.
[15:27] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon gets out and stands nearby Honda to get in the way of anything coming at him
[15:27] <Otomo_Reiko> There's a quadcopter inside. "Plug a battery into the top and take it out of the case." There's that talking phone giving orders.
[15:27] <Cherem> Michio nods a little, and gets to work looking for the batteries.
[15:28] <Cherem> "I have to say, you guys are doing great," Honda confesses. "I didn't think we'd run into anything like we did today."
[15:29] <Kisami_Mako> "Yeah, well, when you have an army of Overeds by your side... This is much different than my daytime job, for sure." Immediatly, she reaches for her handgun as she follows close.
[15:29] <Otomo_Reiko> It's easy enough to find three charged battiers waiting and it's easy to snap one into place.
[15:29] <Cerys_Doyle> "Don't think any of us did. Either way, you keep behind me." Cerys says to him.
[15:30] <Cherem> "Yes, yes." Honda stops, sniffing the air and kicking a rock away. "Shame about this place. You know, I had a friend that lived here, before the bomb. Didn't die, but, his family moved away after it."
[15:34] <Cherem> "Alright." Honda stretches, "We ready? It's time to end this."
[15:35] <Kisami_Mako> Mako lifts the safety off from her gun, making sure it's loaded. "As ready as I'll be."
[15:35] <Mr_Rage> "Mn!"
[15:35] <Otomo_Reiko> "Take the quadcopter out of the case and put it on the ground. I'll be good to go."
[15:36] <Goemon_Hozuki> "Yup" Goemon's arms ignite again "let's go"
[15:36] <Cherem> Machio returns to the car, sitting in the back seat. He doesn't look very comfortable watching you go, but he's not gonna move."
[15:37] <Cherem> Honda nods and starts off, drawing his gun.
[15:38] * Cerys_Doyle locks the car with a beep.
[15:38] <Cherem> As you walk, the place seems more and more desolate. Occasionally you spot another figure, but they're the various homeless, and the sight of armed folk send them scurrying away quickly.
[15:39] <Cherem> Down the street, there's broken glass, abandoned cars, bits of brick and stone. Really, this place got looked over when the reconstruction effort got going.
[15:39] <Kisami_Mako> Mako has her weapon up, scanning the area, looking for threats and targets. As little as she appreciated using her powers, now was not a time to hold back.
[15:40] <Cherem> Up above, you can see... A figure, waiting for you. He's at the end of a cul de sac, a small alley with nobody but himself for company. Dressed in a black overcoat, his hat is pulled down low, and he's humming a tune to himself.
[15:40] <Cherem> Your footsteps are enough to make him glance up, and another wide grin crosses his face, "So you killed them."
[15:41] <Cerys_Doyle> Cerys shrugs as she walks by Honda, black metal plates materializing around her in the form of full body armour and a gun in her hand.
[15:43] <Mr_Rage> Ai bares her teeth, gleaming and blue, tails lashing against the asphalt.
[15:43] <Cherem> Honda stops, "So, Uncle. Are you skipping town now?"
[15:44] <Cherem> The man shrugs a little, "Aah, not yet, I don't think. I have to say, I'm a little angry about Akane." His hands come from his pockets, one of them holding a snub-nosed pistol. "She was clearly the good one of the pair."
[15:44] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon walks in front of Honda cracking his flaming knuckles.
[15:46] <Cherem> "Ah, you look angry," Uncle waves his hands in front of his face, "Sorry, sorry. Is this the part where you want me to apologize? Fools." He starts laughing again.
[15:46] <Kisami_Mako> She raises her service weapon at the man. She'd have to find an explanation for the lost rounds later. That's a load of paperwork she'd rather not deal with. "Don't think I'd ever ask for your apology. Monsters like you deserve to be put down, if you ask me."
[15:48] <Goemon_Hozuki> "Not an apology. This is just a beat down plain and simple."
[15:48] <Cherem> "Spare me your preaching, please." Uncle smirks, clicking back the hammer of his revolver, "If you're going to play those games, just shoot me first. Spare me the trouble of listening to some reject with a gun's life philosophy."
[15:49] <Kisami_Mako> "Why don't you shoot -me- first, and see what happens?" There's almost a challenging tone to that in her voice.
[15:49] <Cherem> "So which one of you is going to be the one that kills me?" He shrugs back, his coat opening of it's own accord. "I warn you, I take a lot of killing to stay dead. The last dogs tried, and I found them, in the end."
[15:50] <Mr_Rage> As tired of the prattle as Uncle is, Ai lunges!
[16:08] <Cherem> As she moves, Uncle raises his pistol. There's a swirling of red up his hand, into the arrel, and it lets out a rapid flurry of shots, more akin to a machine gun than a snub-nosed revolver, more of a channel for his power than the gun.
[16:11] <Kisami_Mako> Mako takes the full blast of the force, not even making an effort to move away - but in the last spur of conciousness, her renegade triggers, and shooting out of her body is oozes and oozes of blood that immediatly seek the aggressor, entering his body and apparently supernaturally aging him!
[16:13] <Cherem> Uncle hisses, his arm shrivelling and almost collapsing. "Ah... How kind of you." He forces himself to stay up, hefting his revolver with a smirk.
[16:16] <Kisami_Mako> Mako manages to bring herself back to conciousness - but rather than shooting him, one of her wounds project a vile looking dart of blood!
[16:26] * Cerys_Doyle springs up from the gound, firing a shot unto their opponent.
[16:28] <Cherem> Uncle tries to step out of the way of both shots, but both slam into his coat, and he winces, coughing up a thick string of blood. "Aah... What the hell?" His hand goes up, feeling at his chest.
[16:30] <Kisami_Mako> "You see, 'Uncle', even if you do take me down, well, I'm afraid that unless you've brought your fancy first aid kit with antivenom in it, you'll be just as dead as we might be, soon enough."
[16:30] <Kisami_Mako> Mako pants and huffs as she can barely stand straight, but keeps the tough act.
[16:33] <Cherem> "Shame." Uncle hefts his gun again, aiming right down the sight. "I will take at least one of you with me. I shall not leave this city empty-handed."
[16:38] <Mr_Rage> In an instant, Uncle's sight is filled with Ai's bulkier transformation, a burly and hunchbacked thing with armor plates and studded knuckles! The girl-beast roars, swatting the gun aside.
[16:38] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon gets up and spits out some blood and dashes toward Uncle.
[16:42] <Cherem> Uncle coughs, blood coming from his mouth in a splatter, "Not how I imagined it ending."
[16:44] <Otomo_Reiko> "Allow me to offer some tactical instructions..."
[16:46] <Kisami_Mako> Mako raises her weapon and takes a shot at him - nothing fancy, just good old military training.
[16:48] <Cherem> The bullet slams through him, punching past his jacket and into his gut. He staggers, but in response, his arm becomes a whirlwind. A thick, mist of blood envelops Mako, before seeming to slam into you and crush you from all sides with enough force to crush a car.
[16:49] <Kisami_Mako> Mako goes down without even so much as a whimper, crushed. Her broken body barely manages to recollect itself, shifting away 19 meters to try to break line of sight and get concealment.
[16:58] * Cerys_Doyle takes aim and shoots a precise shot, the bullet flying in between Goemon and Ai and plowing it's way through Uncle's eye.
[16:59] <Cherem> The bullet smacks through the man, shattering his glasses. He doesn't have a chance to speak, relaly, collapsing. But those of you right there can see it, the flesh pulling itself together, trying to knit itself into one whole again.
[17:00] <Mr_Rage> Ai grabs the man by the ankles, crushing bone in her gorilla-sized fists. She swings him up high, and smashes him into the concrete, dashing him into a bloody smear and a spray of bone splinters.
[17:01] <Otomo_Reiko> "I'm going to be sick, excuse me." Loud footsteps echo through Cerys' phone as the hikki runs for the toilet.
[17:01] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon starts burning what's left to a crisp
[17:02] <Cherem> He's gone, gone, gone girl he's so gone, the pieces of him that are left try to run before being incinerated.
[17:02] * Cerys_Doyle turns to check on Honda who'd she'd been shielding when able to do so.
[17:03] <Kisami_Mako> Just outside the premise, Mako is trying to catch her breath, her control over her blood powers being quite limited to begin with. "Oh God. That was... urf."
[17:03] <Mr_Rage> Perhaps it's best Michio didn't see, uh... that. Returning to a more human form, Ai scratches the back of her neck awkwardly.
[17:03] <Cherem> Honda is still recovering from the barrage that Uncle let out, holding his arm and gritting his teeth, "You got him?"
[17:04] <Goemon_Hozuki> "As dead as in
[17:04] <Cerys_Doyle> "We got him. Let me see that."
[17:04] <Goemon_Hozuki> One could possibly get"
[17:04] <Cherem> "Eh? This?" Honda frowns, "I'd be more worried about yours. I can take a bit of a burn. We should get back to the car, before somebody shows up."
[17:07] <Otomo_Reiko> "It's unlikely the police or UGN will show up any time soon. Still, yes, leaving would be advisable."
[17:07] <Cherem> =============
[17:09] <Cerys_Doyle> She looks at her torn up armour. "I'll live and have to deal with you another day." She helps him along, not letting him refuse. "Thanks Operator. Let's move out."
[17:10] <Cherem> Honda squawks his protests, but eventually quiets down.
[17:11] <Cherem> After a moment, you hear a car alarm going off. A moment later, you see that Michio has opened one of the doors from the inside, and is now frantically trying to turn the alarm off. When he sees you, he goes pale. Pale, pale, holy crap he's about to pass out.
[17:12] <Mr_Rage> Ai rushes over!
[17:12] <Cherem> "I didn't mean to! I heard the gunshots, and I finally tried to get out and the alarm went off!" He looks at her, covered in the blood of a body, and gulps, "Is... is it over?"
[17:12] * Cerys_Doyle pulls the keys from her pocket turning off the alarm.
[17:13] <Mr_Rage> "Oh--um--yes. Very over." Ai nods firmly, wriggling out of her jacket. It puts more of her monstrous self on display, but she's less bloody.
[17:16] <Cherem> "Ah... You got injured." He draws a little closer, pulling his hankerchief and carefully poking at her, the light blue fabric staining quickly.
[17:17] <Mr_Rage> "It's fine, I--" It doesn't do much for the blood, but the gesture reddens the Chimera's cheeks.
[17:17] <Cherem> "I guess you people are used to this already." He laughs nervously, tucking away his handkerchief.
[17:18] <Cherem> "Alright, alright." Honda turns off the alarm with the spare key. "I'll report on this to Ginyomi, but we're taking you back home."
[17:20] <Goemon_Hozuki> Goemon goes and takes a seat in the car
[17:21] <Cerys_Doyle> "I hope your cleaning bill covers blood stains in cars." She says as she helps Honda into a seat.
[17:22] <Cherem> "I'm sure they'll understand." Honda carefully sits in the back, hissing a little, "Was not ready for all of this today."
[17:23] <Goemon_Hozuki> "It could have gone way worse."
[17:25] <Cherem> Michio gets in carefully, climbing in and making himself as small as possible.
[17:26] <Cherem> "Very true. You all did well today." Honda sits back and rubs his head, "I think I need a drink though."
[17:26] * Cerys_Doyle closes the door on Honda and makes her way around the car, gets in herself and starts it up. "I'll second that."
[17:26] <Goemon_Hozuki> "I'll pass on the drinks."
[17:27] <Mr_Rage> Ai beams, offering a smaller smile to Michio.
[17:27] <Otomo_Reiko> "I'll be taking a nap. Cerys-san, you know where to drop off that case tomorrow."
[17:28] <Cherem> "Eeh? You know when a superior asks you to drinks, you drink, right? Juuuust kidding." Honda laughs a little, before hissing, "Ah, hurts."
[17:29] <Cherem> "At least Doyle will join me. Ai might be a little young though." Honda grins through grit teeth, "I might need to see an under-the-table doctor though. I know somebody not far from my office."